Carbonating and cooling means



Aug; 22, 1950 L. ARN-ETT cARBoNATING AND cooLING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 med Aug. a, 194e Patented Aug. 22,A 1950 CARBON ATINGLAND CODLING MEANS l,

LeslielArnett; Chicago, Ill.,- assgnorf-to .Square i 'Mannfactnrmg-Gompaily, a corporation of Illi- Y Applicaties August s, 194s, s.eria1N0.6s9,284

invention relates "to carbonating and cooling means'gand 'more 'particularly 'toa unitary carbonator-cuolerdesigned for finan autoinaticdrink vending machine, as tor example a machine of the A(,:haracter shown in my copend'ing u appli-cations Seri-'al No'. B11321288 'tiled `August 5., i946, now Design PatentNo, llissueddseptember i4, 1948*; and *Serial No. 693,428, filed August 28, 1946, and vSerial No.7 62,107, filed July i9, 1947.

In vthe preparation and n.lispensing,of many drinks 'a avoring L'syrup or Iextract is 'mixed with carbonated Water, and drink dispensing machines designed to dispense conventional soft drinks, as

for example C-oca-fCola, r-oot beer and the like,

must have la lsource 3f-"carbonated water. In order to economically fand efficiently dis-pense ra large number "of drinks rapid-1y waterffrom'the standard localsuppljyis usually Acarbcna-ted and cooled inthe niachine,v and it is Ato means v'for d'oiingthis'that the present vinvention is directed. "Previous carbonating and cooling :means used invdrink dispensing machineshad certain detects and disadvantages. 'Mosto themdidnot provi/de sufeientjreserve capacity, so that a run on the around Vitsfcmter wall and with 'inwardlyextending f fins on its inner -Wal-l providing themax-imum heat transfer relationship rvs/ith water `bein-g carbonated. The carbon dioxideg-as delivered to a vpoint near the bottom -of the `unit and so distributed/that it bubbles u-p through the water over a substantialarea, upward movement of the bubbles being retarded'to :provi-de 'it-he maxim-um lengthof time ci contact with the Water. 'Water entering-the lcarbonator 'ispumped through-an induction.r or iniector 1 nozzle Ymixing gas vwithtl-1e water inthe nozzle, the .stream leaving the nozzle being directedagainst a baille-'to-cause splashing and formation oil-.small dropletsin ages space, causing 4further `absoapt'ionof 1earlzion dioxide glas. efliciency of the. arrangementfresults in ab# sorbing a muchagreater amount of carbon dioxide gas :in the water] than hasfheretoiore .been customary; and fthe considerable nuantty oi?v liquid ini-the :carbonator-@coolen :together withzthe tact thatfit isfalways drawn oi'rom alpointswhere the water has had the maximum cooling and can bonation, supplements the -eicient lcontinuous cooling and carbonation operation oi theunit and provides -a good reserve and satisfactory operation even under periods of lheavy use of-the machine, as "in la `tl'ieater lobby when crowdsareleaving at the conclusi-on of-a show. Y The foregoing and other features 'and advan tageswi-ll "be apparent'fromthe following specification and the drawings, in which:

Figure l for a vertical sectional View voi carbonatling and 4cooling means embodying my inventions; 'Figure 2 -is a horizontal sectional View along the line 2 2 oi Figur-eiFigur-e 3 is a bottorn view of the device shown in Figure lEigur/e 4 is 1a fragmentaryenlargedsectional View of the induction nozzle, along lthe line 4-4 of-Figuref'i; and-Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view 'of the nozzle along the line 15;'5 of Figure4.

in the yparticular embodiment oilily invention illustrated in the accompanying ydrawings the main 'bo dy of 'the unit comprises -a lcylimirical shell here identied as ilthis shell being-about 27 inches high and l0 inches in diameter'in one unit which l.' have built and found very satisfactory. The bottom is provided with a 'closure member 11, arched inwardly to better withstand the operating pressures of the order of 9G 01H10@ pounds per square inch which exis-tin the carbonator'; and the other end Yis closed by a downwardly arched head member 512, which `may 'be Aremovably ysealed in place asl by rbeing placed on the top iiange 10a ,of the shell and sealed -i-n place by use of a gasket i l and bolts I 5 vclamping mounting rings 13a land [3b together. The result iis a closed vessel for chamber capable of withstanding 'the operating pressure 'with a considerable margin of safety, and having a 4substantial capacity for Water. l

Cooling of the 4contents-of the unitiis achieved by use Vo'f a helical coil of Yref-rigorating tubing 413, this; tubing being adapted to have one end, the end yith, attached to the intake:ofthe-compressor of `aconventional refrigerating unit, as commonly used drink vending machines, and theother end, as the end 16a, connected to the receiversof Such a unit to have 'i-iquied refrigerant delivered thereto. The tubingV is preferably welded or brazed to the outer Wall -of the tank 428,. and good l1-eat exchange relationship therewith.- In order to provide efficient heat transiter between the refrigerating tubing and the contents oi the uniti provide iin 'members ,extending ,generally radially Well Aint-o the unit. Referring more tieularly to `Jigure thefm members 'will be .Y to comprise a number of videnirioal cnannelfilikc members which are :.U shaped in herizontalltross section,v each vsuch .fmembenas the member il, having fa por-tion gill-a welded or otherwise permanently attached to the innervvalinfzthe shell Il!!` andgi-nwagrdly projecting legA portions j 11b and |1c. These U-shaped fin members or channel members are of substantial length, as may be best seen in Figure 1 and since they are all substantially identical it is deemedfunnecessary to further identify or describe them. The vertical arrangement of these fins permits the cooler water to Work toward the bottom of the tank, and the open inner ends of the U-shaped arrangement enables local circulation or eddy currents by the upward movement of the carbon dioxide bubbles, to insure contact of all of the water with such bubbles.

Near the bottom of the tank, as may be best seen in Figure 1, I provide a dome member I8 having a diameter approximately half that of the shelland coaxial therewith, the cross section of this particular `dome member being cingular. Fastened to the dome member and rising vertically therefrom, and having a circular cross section substantially identical with that of the dome member, is a'tube or cylinder of screening, here identified as i9. This screening (and all other metal parts with which the carbonated water comes in contact) is preferably of stainless steel and of relatively small mesh, as about 60 openings to the inch. Carbon dioxide gas from a regular commercial cylinder of such gas is passed through a reducing valve in conventional manner to reduce the pressure to the desired operating level (as for example 90 pounds per square inch gauge pressure) and then delivered through a gas delivery tube 2l)` passing through the bottom member liY and terminating under the dome member i8 and at a level of about a half inch above the lower edge of the depending flange la at the edge of the dome. Whenever pressure in the tank drops below the pressure in the gas delivery conduit 29, as by continued absorption of the gas in the water or by withdrawal of the carbonated water from the draw-off or outlet conduit ZI near the bottom of the shell during dispensing of drinks, additional gas enters the tank through the conduit 2u and distributes itself around the entire area of the dome I8, bubbling up around the entire periphery of such dome member. rlhis arrangement results in the distribution of the gas bubbles over a large area or periphery line, rather than their coming straight up the center of the tank in large bubbles. The

bubbles of gas starting up from the edge of the r dome cling to the screening i9 and work up slowly therealong, the screening serving to retard considerably the upward movement of the bubbles and to reduce their size, thus resulting in greater absorption of the carbon dioxide gas in the water before the bubbles reach the top and break through the surface of the water, indicated by the line 22. The ability of water to absorb carbon dioxide gas is increased by reduction in temperature of the Water, and accordingly the water in the tank, already initially carbonated in a manner to be described immediately hereafter, absorbs still further gas from the slowly rising bubbles, particularly near the bottom of the tank where the water is coolest. The upward movement of the bubbles also serves to create gentle local circulations or eddy currents in the water which improves the eiliciency of both the carbonation and of the cooling by bringing water out near the shell in toward the screen and vice versa.

Water is delivered to the unit through the nozzle 23 in a manner conventional in drink dispensing machines, by an electric Apump adapted to provide pressures in excess of the operating pressure in the tank (as for example 10 or 15 4 pounds higher, or in the neighborhood of the pounds pressure in the example given), water being pumped to the nozzle when required through the conduit 24. C'ontrolvof the water delivery (i. e., starting and stopping of the pump) can be effected in any conventional manner in accordance with the level of water in the tank, the control means being here shown as comprising electrodes 25 and 26, the lower end of the electrode 26, here identified as 26a preferably being of carbon to prevent electrolytic action. These electrodes are connected in a conventional manner to two relays in the control circuit of the pump motor. The arrangement is such that as long as there is relay actuating current flowing from the electrode 26 to ground the pump remains off, but assoon as thewater level drops below the end of the electrode 26 the pump is started and lruns vuntil the water contacts the electrode 25 to complete a circuit from it to ground and actuate aV relay opening the circuit to the pump motor,V This arrangement maintains the water level within the tank within predetermined limits, the level never dropping below the bottom of the longest electrode 2G nor rising above the bottom of the shorter electrode 25. The conduits 28 and 24 preferably incorporate check values- (not shown, being conventional) to prevent any outward movement of fluid therethrough.

When sufficient water has been drawn off to drop the level in the tank below the bottom of the electrode 26 starting of the pump forces water through the conduit 24 to the nozzle 23. This nozzle has a delivery opening 23a, as may be best seen in Figure 4, and a plurality of radial gas entry openings 23h-z', these openings entering the central flow channel at the point Where the restricted passageway 237s opens into an enlarged section. The vacuum effect produced by Venturi action at this point causes an induction or drawing in of gas to mix it with the water leaving the nozzle, so that the stream delivered from the opening 23a comprises a mixture of water and gas. As may be readily seen in Figure 1, the nozzle is well above the highest level ever reached by water in the tank, so that it is always in a gas space or atmosphere.

Mounted on and carried by the stem or neck of the nozzle 23 is a baille member 2'! having an upper portion 21a Welded or otherwise permanently'attached to such stem, a depending portion 2lb, and a lower horizontal portion 2lc. This lower portion 21o is above the maximum level of water in the tank, and is arranged below and in line with the stream of fluid leaving the opening 23a of the nozzle, so that the stream strikes this baille portion at right angles to its surface and scatters the water in a spray of droplets which travel through the gas in the space above the water for further gas absorption. The depending portion 2lb is designed to protect the electrodes 25 and 26 and the thermostat well 28 (housing the bulb of the thermostat controlling the refrigerating unit) from being affected by the spray vof water droplets when water is being pumped into the tank.

As will be apparent from the foregoing, the devicejust described provides three actions tending to facilitate adsorption of carbon dioxide gas by the water being carbonated. The rst of these is'the' admixture ofgas and water which takes place'in the induction or injector nozzle. The second is the dividing of the entering stream of V,Waterlinto a;spray of fine droplets, which travel through the gas for further absorption, by causing the stream to strike the baffle portion 21e. The final stage in the absorption operation is eiected by the slow upward movement of small bubbles of gas through the body of liquid in the tank as the same is being cooled. Moreover, it will be seen that a very effective heat transfer arrangement is provided for maximum cooling of the water in the tank; and that the arrangement is such that the water drawn off from the tank is always that which has been cooled and carbonated to the maximum extent. The size of the tank is such that it provides a reservoir of sufcient carbonated water for about 150 drinks of the Asize usually dispensed for a nickel, pro viding a reserve helping the carbonator-cooler unit carry the load when a large number of drinks are being dispensed in rapid succession, this reserve capacity and the continuous operation capacity of the unit being sufficient to enable two or three times that number of drinks to be dispensed before the temperature of the drink becomes undesirably high and the carbonation unsatisfactorily low. This is of particular importance in an automatic drink dispensing machine of the kind used in theater lobbies, where two thousand drinks a day or more may be dispensedfrom a machine served by my carbonatorcooler, and where there are heavy runs at certain periods. Moreover, the unit disclosed and claimed here is simple and rugged, in addition to being highly efficient, and is self-contained, no precoolers or the like being necessary.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. Carbonating and cooling means of the characterY described, including: a vessel providing a closedchamber; means for delivering the liquid to be carbonated to said vessel under pressure and for maintaining the liquid level therein within predetermined limits to provide a gas Vspace thereabove, said means including an induction nozzle in said space;` means for cooling said liquid; a gas conduit entering said vessel and Athrough the liquid.

2, Carbonating and cooling means of the character described, including: a generally cylindrical vessel providing a closed chamber and arranged with its axis vertical; iin members projecting inwardly from the inner cylindrical wall of said vessel; cooling means comprising a helical conduit in heat exchange relation with the outer cylindrical wall of said vessel; an induction nozzle in the upper part of said vessel; means for delivering the liquid to be carbonated to said nozzle under pressure; means for controlling the liquid delivery means for maintaining the liquid level in the chamber within predetermined limits, the maximum level being below said nozzle; liquid draw-off means near the bottom of said chamber; a gas conduit entering said vessel and terminating at a point near the bottom of said chamber, said conduit being adapted to be connected to a source of carbon dioxide gas under pressure to deliver gas to the chamber; a dome member in the chamber immediately above the point of delivery of gas thereto, whereby gas entering said chamber is distributed around the periphery of said dome member and bubbles up therefrom; and screen tubing immediately above said dome member and having a cross-section substantially identical therewith, said screen retarding the upward movement of the bubbles through the liquid.

3. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 2, including baffle means against which the liquid leaving said nozzle strikes, the baiiie means being above the maximum level of liquid in the chamber.

4. Carbonating and cooling apparatus of the character described, including: a generaliy cylindrical vessel providing a closed chamber and arranged with its axis vertical; fin members projecting into said chamber from the inner cylindrical wall of said vessel; cooling means comprising a helical conduit in heat exchange relation with the outer cylindrical wall of said vessel; an induction liquid inlet nozzle in the upper part of said vessel; means for delivering the liquid to be carbonated to said nozzle under pressure; at least one electrode in said chamber for controlling the liquid delivery means for maintaining the liquid level in the chamber within predetermined limits, the maximum level being below said nozzle; liquid draw-off means near the bottom of said chamber; a baille in said chamber having a portion against which the liquid leaving said nozzle strikes and a portion protecting said electrode means from spray; a gas conduit entering said vessel and terminating at a point near the bottom of said chamber, said conduit being adapted to be connected to a source of carbon dioxide gas under pressure to deliver gas to the chamber; a dome member in the chamber immediately above the point of delivery of gas thereto, whereby gas entering said chamber is distributed around the periphery of said dome member and bubbles up therefrom; and screen tubing immediately above said dome member and having a cross-section substantially identical therewith, said i'lns extending inwardly substantially to said screen, the axis of said tubing being vertical and said screen retarding the upward movement of the bubbles through the liquid.

LESLIE ARN ETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 813,414 Fox Feb. 27, 1906 1,232,694 Kruecke July l0, 1917 V1,600,951 Scott et al. Sept. 21, 1926 2,195,449 Delen Apr. 2, 1940 2,326,243 Meyer Aug. l0, 1943 2,348,791 Di Pietro May 16, 1944 2,391,003 Bowman Dec. 18, 1945 2,420,795 Phillips May 20, 1947 

